'HAWKS TOP GALAXY

The Herald-Sun | Bernard Thomas
Carolina RailHawks goalie Scott Goodwin defends a shot attempt by LA Galaxy Gyasi Zardes (center) with the help of Daniel Scott (L) during the first half at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

The Herald-Sun | Bernard Thomas
LA Galaxy Landon Donovan before the game against the Carolina RailHawks, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary

The Herald-Sun | Bernard Thomas
LA Galaxy Landon Donovan during the second half of the game against the Carolina RailHawks, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary

CARY —

Landon Donovan now has even more reason to be upset with his summer — thanks in no small part to former North Carolina goalkeeper Scott Goodwin.

Goodwin and the Carolina RailHawks shut down Donovan and the L.A. Galaxy over 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time to come away with a 1-0 win Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup.

Donovan, the leading scorer in the history on the U.S. National Team, wasn’t selected for the 23-player 2014 U.S. World Cup team. So instead of facing Germany on Thursday in front of hundreds of millions of viewers in Brazil, he joined his club team for a round of 16 game against the RailHawks in front of 3,000 fans at Koka Booth Stadium.

The auxiliary field at WakeMed Soccer Park was used because the 10,000-seat main stadium is being resodded.

“I enjoyed it,” Donovan said. “I can’t speak for everybody but I enjoyed it. It’s different. I thought the crowd was great, they gave us a good game, the field was great, the weather was great. It was an enjoyable night except for the result.”

Because of an injury to Carolina’s regular goalie, Goodwin was pressed into service and stopped eight shots — including one from inside the penalty area by Donovan, who came in as a sub in the 64th minute and played the rest of the game.

“That’s why we all play — to play against the best players we can,” Goodwin said. “It’s funny to think that with a different selection he could have been shooting against (Germany goalie) Manuel Neuer and now he’s shooting against me today.”

Donovan wasn’t the only famous name on the Galaxy. L.A. started Robbie Keane, the captain of the Republic of Ireland side and that country’s all-time leader in goals, and Robbie Rogers, the first openly gay man to compete in a top North American professional team sport.

The RailHawks were outshot 31-6, but sub Daniel Jackson found the net in the 105th minute to extend Carolina’s home unbeaten streak to 23 matches. The RailHawks will host another MLS team — either the Houston Dynamo or FC Dallas — in the quarterfinals on July 9 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Goodwin said. “We knew coming into this game it was going to be tough but we were more than ready. We were excited and motivated. This game’s a little bit special. I can’t give enough credit to our guys for pushing for 120 minutes.”

Goodwin won the 2011 NCAA championship at UNC and holds the school record with 41 shutouts. He also made four saves in the seven-round shootout as the RailHawks defeated another MLS team, Chivas USA, in a shootout in the previous round on June 14.

The RailHawks also started midfielder Enzo Martinez, Goodwin’s teammate on UNC’s 2011 championship team who had 22 goals and 20 assists in three seasons with the Tar Heels.

The RailHawks had beaten the Galaxy in each of the last two U.S. Open Cups by a combined score of 4-1. But while the MLS squad had played their reserves in those matchups, L.A. sent the top squad and its coach, former U.S. National Team manager Bruce Arena, on Tuesday in an attempt to reverse that trend.

The Galaxy used their regular starting lineup except for defender Omar Gonzalez, who was selected to the U.S. World Cup team.

Donovan scored three goals in the 2010 World Cup, including the winner in second-half stoppage time against Algeria that advanced the U.S. out of the group stage. On Tuesday — with his former American teammates preparing for another crucial group-stage match — Goodwin helped prevent Donovan from leading the Galaxy past a second-tier club team in front of temporary bleachers in Cary.